Fruit-clippers.



I. J. DOLAN.

FRUIT OLIPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED NIAR. 21,1911.

1,037,737, Patented Sept. 3, 191-2.

Lydia eases, I I I fiverzfn flo/fi structed is also arr orrrou.

FELIX JOHN DOLAN, 0F RIVERSIDE CADXFQRNIA.

FRUIT-CLIPPERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX JOHN DOLAN, a citizen of the 'United States,residing at iverside, in the county of Riverside and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Clippers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fruit clippers, such as are employed inclipping. citrus and other fruits from the limbs or branches upon whichtheyare grown; and it has for its object to provide improved clippers ofthe character stated which will be superior in point of simplicity andinexpensiveness .of construction, positivenessof operation, faoilityandconvenience in use, and general efiiciency, and the use of which willobviate injuryto or bruising of the fruit and will permit of cutting thefruit stems close to the body of the fruit.

In employing fruit clippers of standard form, it is practicallyimpossible to sever the stem so close to the body of the fruit that noprojecting part will remain to puncture the wrapper with which the fruitis finally provided, and also puncture the wrappers of adjacent piecesof fruit when the fruit is packed, further causing injury to the fruit,wrappers of which are so punctured. Furthermore, the relatively sharp orunbroken edges of the jaws or blades, or of that one which is directedtoward the fruit in puncturing the stem of the same' 'prior to cuttingthe same, is frequently brought into contact with the fruit and mars orinjures the same appreciably. The cutting action of fruit clippers asnow conlacking in that positiveness and cleanness of performance whichis a desideratum when speed and accuracy of performance are taken intoconsideration.

In accordance with my invention, 1 provide fruit clippers which obyiatethe above sing, and finally mentioned disadvantages and at the same timeprovide those advantages and points of superiority initially abovereferred to.

The invention consists in the novel provision, construction, formationand combinatlon of parts, members and features all as hereinafterdescribed, shown in the drawpointed out in claim.

In the drawing: Figure l is an upper face View of fruit clippersconstructed and oruganized in accordance-with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary view, showmg the cutting jaws or bladeswhich latter Siaeoification of Letters Patent. Application filed March21, 1911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912. Serial No. 615,985.

are in closed relation, the same being shown in Fig. 1 in open relation;Fig. '3 is a fragmentary side or edge view of the jaws or blades shownin Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view taken upon the line Fig.2, and looking in the direction of the appended arrow;.and, Fig. 5 is.av specti/ve view showing the application 'of the jaws or blades of theclippers to an orange, prior to the act of severing the stem thereof.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same referencecharacters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, the improved fruit clippersshown therein as embodying the invention comprise two pivoted members, Aand B, which are respectively provided with jaws or blades (1 and b, themembers being likewise provided withgrips or handles 0 and drespectively, between which latter and said jaws or blades the members Aand B are pivotally. connected by a screw or 'pin 6. Tension means suchas a coil spring f is disperposed between the handles or grips 0 and oftheir end portions wiith straight cutting edges 9 and 10, which mayco-act to cut, during commencement of the movement of the jaws to bringthe latter together, and the outer end of the jaws are providedrespectively with curved cutting edges, 11 and 12, bowed away from eachother and terminating respectively at their inner ends in shoulders l3and 14, and attheir outer ends in points 15 and 16. The shoulders 13 and14 are arranged to registrate when the jaws are brought together attheir outer ends, after the straight cutting edges 9 and 10 haveoverlapped. The curved cutting edge' 11' is beveled, and the curvedcutting edge 12 they emerge into a common curvaturewithin the confinesof which the stem 17 of the fruit is gripped and severed. The outer edgeportion of the jaw b, opposite the straight cutting edge 10 and thecurved cut- 1s plain, and when they are brought together the clippers,and a split ting edge- 12, is provided with a curved guard or flange 18extending from the point 16 to a point considerably inward of theregistration of the shoulder 14; and the formation and relation of thepartsis such that the shoulder 13 engages with the guard or flange, asshown in Fig. 2 when the jaws are in closed relation; and with the jawsin closed relation the point 16, into which merges the curvature of thecurved cutting edge 12, overlaps the point 15 upon the jaw a. The guardor flange 18 projects appreciably above the upper face of the jaw b, theupper face of which jaw and the upper face of the jaw a are merged intoa concavity, the lower faces of said jaws being merged into a convexity,all as clearly shown in the drawing, and particularly in Fig. 8, wherebythe jaws are given substantially a spoon shaped conformation, which isenhanced by the beveled formation of the cutting edge 11 and theup-standing formation of the guard or flange 18. The point 16 is roundedoff so as not to puncture or injure the fruit if it is brought intocontact with same. i

In using the clippers the jaw b is presented toward the fruit in movingthe clippers into position for action, and the rounded guard or flange18 prevents the jaw b from injuring or marring the fruit, as does therounded point 16 thereof; and when the jaws are in closed relation therounded point 16 overlaps the relatively sharp po1nt 15 and preventsinjury thereby to any object with which the clippers may be brought intocontact. Because of the dished or combined concave and convex formationof the jaws a and I), particularly its outer ends thereof which areprovided with the curved cutting edges 11 and 12, such outer ends may bebrought to bear upon the fruit, such as the orange shown in Fig. 5, atthe very base of the stem 1'1, and the stem may be severed close to thebody of fruit or at the very base of the stem, or close to the cap orfoot which joins the stem with the orange. The curved cutting edgesacting in opposition one to the other, initiate the cutting action assoon as they jointly engage the stem, an

produce a clean quick out which enables the operator to proceed rapidlyin the clipping operation. The beveled curved cutting edge 11 operatesin connection with the plain curved cutting edge 12 with highefficiency.

The entire device as organized is adapted for the performance of itsfunctions with the highest speed and efliciency, and meets with all theconditions of service which are imposed upon a device of the class ofthe character under consideration.

Having thus described my claim and desire to secure by Letters ent:

Improved clippers of the character described, comprising two pivotedmembers provided with jaws, one of said jaws being provided at one sidewith an up-standing guard or flange, both jaws having straight cut-tingedges and one jaw having likewise a curved cutting edge and beingprovided with a shoulder bet-ween the straight and curved cutting edgesco-acting with said guard or flange to limit relative movement of thejaws in one direction.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed Patmy name to this specificationin the presonce of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX JOHN DOLAN. Witnesses:

RAYMOND I. BLAKESLEE, CHARLES D. WARDEN.

invention, I

